Williams hires Mercedes veteran Dan Milner as chief engineer

Williams has strengthened its technical department by hiring Dan Milner, a long-serving Mercedes engineer, as its new Chief Engineer of Vehicle Technology. Milner brings over two decades of experience from Brackley and will oversee car development programs, reporting to Technical Director Matt Harman and CTO Pat Fry as the team continues its rebuilding efforts.

Why it matters:

This move represents a significant personnel gain for Williams and a notable loss for Mercedes, highlighting the ongoing talent war in Formula 1. For a historic team like Williams, which is on a multi-year journey to return to competitiveness, attracting proven talent from the sport's top operations is crucial. Milner's deep experience in R&D, powertrain integration, and turning concepts into on-track performance could accelerate Williams's technical progress.

The details:

• Dan Milner started his new role at Williams this week after completing a standard three-month period of gardening leave.
• His career at the Brackley campus spans approximately 20 years, including tenures during its time as Honda and Brawn GP before it became the dominant Mercedes team.
• Broad Mercedes Experience: At Mercedes, Milner most recently served as Chief Engineer of Research and Development. His prior roles included leading power unit and chassis integration work and heading the transmission design department.
• Outside F1 Expertise: Beyond Formula 1, Milner also gained high-level design experience as head of a design group for the INEOS Britannia America's Cup sailing team in 2021 and 2022.
• Williams's Leadership Vision: Technical Director Matt Harman emphasized that Milner's leadership and experience in delivering major programs will be central to converting innovation into consistent performance gains on track.

What's next:

Milner's integration into the Williams technical structure under Harman and Fry is the immediate next step. His appointment is a clear signal of Williams's commitment to its ambitious plan to climb the grid. While turning a team's fortunes is a long-term process, securing personnel with championship-winning pedigree is a foundational move. The focus will now be on how his expertise influences the development of future cars, as Williams aims to convert its promising infrastructure investments into tangible results.